Detroit Mercy vs. UIC Picks and Predictions, Monday, November 3rd, 2025
Use Code WWWC The Detroit Mercy Titans and the UIC Flames will open up their 2025-26 campaigns with a non-conference matchup on Monday in this Detroit Mercy vs. UIC prediction. Detroit finished last season with an 8-24 record out of the Horizon League, and hopes this is the season where the program takes the next step. UIC finished 17-14, but did not qualify for any postseason tournaments out of the Missouri Valley Conference. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 EST. See below for our Detroit Mercy vs. UIC prediction, and cash some early-season bets with our NCAAB Predictions!
Detroit Mercy Looks to Build
Mark Montgomery took over the Detroit Mercy Titans program after they went 1-31 two years back. He was able to lead the Titans to eight wins in his first season at the helm, and wants to keep showing solid growth with his team in the Horizon League. The Titans bring back more starters than any other team in the Horizon League, including Orlando Lovejoy, who will challenge for a spot on the All-Conference Team as he returns for his senior season.
Lovejoy could have transferred to a bigger school after averaging 16.4 PPG last season as a 6'3 junior, but will play his senior season in his hometown with Detroit. He began his season with Eastern Michigan, but transferred in with Coach Montgomery last season and became the leading scorer for the Titans. Lovejoy has an all-around game, as he also averaged 4.6 RPG and 3.8 APG on the season. Jared Lary is a 6'6 wing coming back for his senior season after averaging 9.1 PPG last season. TJ Neadeau was a freshman last season, but returns to the starting lineup where he averages 8.9 PPG, and led the team with 48 made threes in his first collegiate season.
KenPom has Detroit Mercy ranked as the 298th team in the nation out of 365 D-1 squads coming into this year. They rank 293rd in offensive efficiency and 288th in defensive efficiency. They played at a slow pace last year, ranking 257th in tempo.
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Flames Open at Home
The UIC Flames are in their second season under Head Coach Rob Ehsan, as he led the team to their first winning record in the past five seasons in his debut. The only problem for the Flames is that they only return one player who played more than three games for the squad last year, so they will be heavily reliant on the transfer portal this season. Their lone returner is Ahmad Henderson, the 5'10 guard is now in his junior season and ready to lead this team to compete in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Henderson averaged 11.5 PPG last season, despite only weighing in at 145 pounds as an undersized guard in the backcourt. He made 41 three-pointers last season, while converting 33.6% of his attempts from beyond the arc. The rest of the squad is filled out with transfers, with the biggest splash coming from BYU transfer Elijah Crawford. He did not get much playing time last season in the Big 12, but is expected to take a big jump in his first season as a sophomore with Detroit. Abdul Momoh should be able to hold down the paint; he averaged 8.6 PPG and 6.1 RPG last season as a 6'8 junior with Central Connecticut State.
UIC is ranked 135th overall according to KenPom. They are projected to be 166th in offensive efficiency and 121st in defensive efficiency. Last year they ranked 136th in the nation in pace of play.
Detroit Mercy vs. UIC Prediction and Picks
Spread pick for Detroit Mercy vs. UIC
- Detroit Mercy +9.5 (4 units)
Illinois-Chicago is only returning one player who played more than three games for the season last year, and he is a tiny guard weighing under 150 pounds. Henderson should be a nice piece for the Flames, but his roster is loaded with transfers who have yet to prove they can gel as a unit. The Flames are excited for their BYU-transfer Crawford, but he averaged under 2.0 PPG last season for the Cougars, as he could barely get on the court. Lovejoy will be the best player on the floor. The 6'3 guard could have transferred out of Detroit, but opted to stay for his final season with the Titans. Detroit has a handful of second-year players who will have more chemistry than their opponents and take the points in this one.
Take Detroit Mercy with the points.
Over/Under Pick for Detroit Mercy vs. UIC
- Under 143.5 (4 units)
This game is not going to make it to the 70s for each team, as neither finished the season last year in the top 100 in tempo. Each team is returning their head coach from last season, which means the style of play will not be changed much amongst these slow-paced teams. Detroit Mercy was only 257th in pace of play last season, and will want to keep this game at a slow pace as they are 9.5-point underdogs in this one. Detroit will slow this game down, and UIC is loaded with all new transfers that will not yet have the chemistry to be able to put up a big number offensively.
Take the under.
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